It's not just about being the conductor...

Career exploration is an essential element in deciding about one's future.  This type of exploration is not the type that can be found in a book, but rather it is in seeing a workplace first-hand and speaking with a career professional.  As our children and students aspire to be athletes, pilots, police officers, and astronauts, it is important to think about and explore the whole industry verses focusing on one element.

On a recent trip to the NJ Transit terminal in Hoboken, a small group of students had the opportunity to tour the terminal led by the supervisor of the Main, Bergen, and Pascack Valley lines. He was asked by one of the students to describe his job in three words. Interesting, challenging, and changing were the words he chose and he went on to explain the hard work and the time commitment that went into working his position. The students were stunned when they were told he had to work almost every holiday!  He then went on to explain that while everyone may not want his job, there are many jobs, which make the railroad industry function. Engineers, carpenters, electricians, and track designers and builders are just a few of the hundreds of jobs distributed among 14,000 employees.

Ongoing exposure to the many possible career paths is critical to the development and nurturing of a child's passion.  It is OK to want to be the conductor, but it is just as important to expose our children to all of the parts, which make up and contribute to an industry as a whole.  -Diane Sandonato, Teacher, Celebrate the Children